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A Note from the Principal
DRES Families,
Congratulations to our chorus students for a wonderful performance of the National Anthem at the GMU women's basketball game last weekend! We are also partnering with our partners at GMU as the GMU baseball team has begun to volunteer every Monday. The players volunteer their time to help staff and students in a variety of classes. This is the second year of our partnership and we look forward to DRES day at a game later in their season. Don’t forget our annual PTA Ice Skating Night is tomorrow from 6:45-8:15 at the Fairfax Ice Arena. This is a free event for DRES students and we hope to see many of you tomorrow!
If you have any questions or concerns you can contact our main office at 703-279-8400 or contact me directly at cmsmith@fcps.edu
Enjoy your weekend,
Chris Smith
DRES Principal
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Spread the LOVE on Valentine’s Day!
We have a few fun ways to send some extra love to your Dragons this Valentine’s Day, with a bonus of helping to raise funds for the 6th Grade Promotion Activities. Order online, or come visit us at the Valentine booth in the lobby between 8:45-9:00AM Monday-Friday, February 5-9. Online valentine sales close Saturday, February 10 at midnight. Available options:
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Pass a Note: $1 Have a note delivered to your friends in their classrooms with a valentine lollipop. Click here to order online
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Send a Valentine Telegram: $5 Special heart-shaped note with a treat or toy delivered to your students, teachers, or special staff members with a custom message from you (great option to send from parents and grandparents). Click here to order online
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Classroom visit from “Pickle” the Dragon: $25 Pickles is getting his dancing shoes ready! Treat your teachers and classmates with a surprise visit from our favorite dancing dragon! Pickles will bring a custom note from each sponsoring family. Click here to order online
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Make a donation to the 6th grade class: Donate an amount of your choice to help the 6th grade fund their spring activities. Click here to donate
Attendance Matters
This is the time of year when winter weather and children’s illnesses can take a toll on school attendance. But it’s important to get your children to school every day possible.
If you are unsure whether to send your children to school, consult your doctor or this website Health and Safety Guidance webpage for guidance. Our school nurse is also a terrific resource for chronic health conditions.
Do what you can to keep your children healthy. Dress them warmly for the cold weather and make sure they’ve got hats and gloves. Encourage them to wash their hands regularly and send them to school with a bottle of hand sanitizer.
PTA News
Save the date for PTA Ice Skating Saturday, February 3rd
Save the date for PTA Bingo Night on Friday, February 23rd
Music News
🎵 Congratulations to the Chorus for their National Anthem performance at the GMU basketball game last Sunday!
🎵 The February Musician of the Month is American rapper, singer, songwriter, and drummer Anderson.Paak.
Magnet School Application and Lottery Information
The Magnet Program registration window will be open from Tuesday, March 5, through Friday, April 12, 2024. No late applications are accepted.
If you are interested in this opportunity click this link to learn more about the Magnet School Lottery
To learn more about the programs and the registration process, families are encouraged to attend one of the Parent Information Nights:
- Bailey’s Upper, February 6, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. (Virtual only)
- Hunters Woods Elementary, February 12, 2024 at 5:30 p.m. (In-person)
- Snow date: February 26, 2024 at 5:30 p.m.
- Bailey’s Primary, February 13, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. (In-person)
- Snow date: February 21, 2024 at 6:00 p.m.
💻 Upcoming Webinars and Events for Families
The Family Resource Center offers free webinars for adults to support the success of all students, including those with learning challenges, special needs, and disabilities. Upcoming events include:
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Meet the Author Series: Mind in The Making with Ellen Galinsky – Help your children learn how to take on life's challenges, communicate well with others, and remain committed to learning. Friday, February 2, 10-11 a.m.
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Youth Mental Health First Aid – This in-person course teaches how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges among children and adolescents ages 12-18. Friday, February 9, 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Family Resource Center.
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Behavior Solution Series for Elementary and Secondary Families – Join FCPS Behavior Intervention Services staff for help encouraging positive communication and behavior at home. Webinars will be held at 10 a.m.:
- Elementary Webinars:
- Proactive Strategies for Effective Communication, Friday, February 16
- Taming Tantrums and More, Friday, March 15
- Secondary Webinars:
- Proactive Strategies for Effective Communication, Friday, April 19
- Taming the Teen-Aged Brain, Friday, May 31
Free Resources for Families
Did you know that caregivers can access free webinars, confidential consultations, a lending library, and resources to help adults support the success of all students, including those with learning challenges, special needs, and disabilities?
Learn more about FCPS’ Family Resource Center (FRC).
Be the first to learn about new workshops by signing up for the FRC newsletter.
Food Insecurity Resources
Food insecurity impacts more than 60,000 Fairfax County residents. There are many resources available to support those who need food assistance. Find out how to receive or offer support on the Fairfax County website, or view their Human Services Resource Guide for assistance with food, clothing, housing, and other services.
Spanish:
La inseguridad de alimentos afecta a más de 60,000 residentes del Condado de Fairfax. Hay muchos recursos disponibles para apoyar a aquellos que necesitan asistencia alimentaria. Averigüe cómo recibir u ofrecer apoyo en el sitio web del Condado de Fairfax, o consulte con su Guía de Recursos de Servicios Humanos para obtener asistencia con los alimentos, ropa, vivienda y otros servicios
Safety Information
Fairfax County Public Schools believes that academic success is built on the foundation of a safe learning environment. This includes physical safety, and mental health and wellness.
FCPS has a comprehensive approach to safety that involves physical security measures, online monitoring by security staff, and crisis intervention support. The division has created the Safe Students, Safe Schools Brochure (PDF) to enhance your awareness of potential hazards and to equip you with practical tips for how you can help. Visit the FCPS website for more information.
P2 News
Dear Families,
Next week our school community will be focusing on the Other People Mindset of Cheering Others’ Successes. This means when other people succeed, I am happy for them and cheer them on.
Being happy for other people when they succeed isn’t always everyone’s initial reaction. Often, it’s easy to become jealous or envious of others’ victories -- or even to experience schadenfreude, which is deriving pleasure from witnessing (or learning about) another person’s misfortune. People who have these reactions to the success or misfortune of others are colloquially known as “haters.” It’s important to note that these are natural emotions and in small doses can be helpful in allowing us to see what we care about -- and motivate us to pursue those goals.
But making a commitment towards cheering on other people’s successes can be a great way to improve our own health, happiness, and relationships. People can take active steps to be more genuinely happy for the achievements of others. Ways to do this include; telling others about the success of your modest friend; noticing when your reaction to a sibling’s success is envy or jealousy -- and asking yourself why that is; reminding yourself that appreciating the excellence in another is a character strength; asking your successful teammates and classmates what they do to prepare for games or tests.
Being supportive of people who succeed is good for our mental, physical, and emotional well-being and when people cheer each other on it begins a reciprocal process that forges stronger relationships. Those relationships are the foundation for a strong culture in teams, schools, and businesses.
To practice and encourage the character strength of perspective with your child, please visit the Positivity Project’s P2 for Families (password: P2), where together you will watch a video, read a quote, and talk about the answers to three questions.
Have a wonderful week!
Superintendent to Present FY 2025 Proposed Budget
Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid will present the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Proposed Budget at the School Board meeting on Thursday, February 8, at 7:30 p.m. Dr. Reid’s presentation, as well as other budget documents, will be available after she presents to the board.
View the meeting on FCPS Cable TV Channel 99 (Verizon Channel 11), the FCPS YouTube Channel, or the FCPS website. To watch School Board meetings dubbed in Spanish, please visit the FCPS en Español YouTube channel.
If you would like language interpretation or American Sign Language support for any School Board meeting, please contact the board clerk. Find your School Board member and how to contact them on the School Board Members webpage.
🚍 Here Comes the Bus
Want to know if your child's bus is on schedule or where the bus is? Here Comes the Bus® is an easy-to-use website and app that enables parents to see the location of their child’s school bus — almost in real time — on a smartphone, tablet, or personal computer.
Parents can track multiple buses if their children don’t all ride the same bus; know exactly when children arrive at school or the bus stop; and receive customized text and/or email notifications about bus locations, schedule changes, or delays.
To get started, download the app from the Apple iOS or Android app store. Check out the Here Comes the Bus and Frequently Asked Questions webpages for more information.
Already using the Here Comes the Bus app? Send your feedback to HCTB@fcps.edu.
Note: eNotify text messaging will continue to be used for reporting bus delays and bus incidents.
FCPS Calendar Dates
 FCPS 2023-2024 Calendar: Click Here
Important Dates
February 19 - President's Day- Student Holiday
February 20 - Spring Portrait Day
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